Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Common Sense Commentary: How to decide... when so much depends upon you making the right, best decision... but friends and family all have different opinions... and a flood of information flows in all different directions. Is there a river in there somewhere? Do your Mom, Dad, Wife, Husband, children, relatives, neighbors, friends really have an inside track to God's Will for YOU...when they nearly all give different advice ? Not unless you live in their house or they support you financially. Of course,your spouse should always have input in family matters of importance, and children heard...without a vote; but unless you are not still living with "Momma", nobody else need be consulted unless you want outside advice or it involves them. God did not make the home a "democracy". Parents are in charge. If parents cannot make inportant decisions without the children having an equal vote...that home has a doubtful future.

Over the years, people have asked me, "Pastor, how did you know it was God's Will to move to Tallahassee to start a church, or those three Christian Schools, a rescue mission, Tallahassee's Food Bank, Lighthouse Children's Home, the T.V. station, etc etc ? How did I know God's Will ? I didn't always know for sure. I made most decisions based on what my Heavenly Father had taught me already...while raising me and through His letters to me, His Word, the Bible. For many years, when faced with a very difficult but important decision, I have tried to use the following method.

1. First, I pray about it and then think and listen. If no clear answer comes to mind overnight, I resort to step two.

2. I search God's Word to see if He has already spoken to the subject which I have somehow missed after years of Bible study. If God's Word says "DO THIS", I don't need to pray more or seek more information, I just need to obey God's Word and "DO THAT". If I can't find a clear and definite answer there, I take step three.

3. I read and search out every word of information I can find on the subject...including, consulting the most wise, committed Christians I know and even lawyers, doctors, business people, contractors, or those who have done something similar. Facts, facts, facts. If I still cannot make the decision with clarity, I turn to step four.

4. If a decision absolutely must be made by 10:00am Monday morning, I tell the Lord, "Lord, this is urgent and I must say yea or nay Monday morning at 10:00, so when that moment arrives, I will trust you to give me the decision and I will know at that moment it is your will and I will have your peace about it because I trust you to lead me." When I say yea or nay or sign the document, I know it is God's will because I asked Him in faith and will therefore stick by that decision and spend the rest of my life making it work or else my faith in God failed me...which it does not. Other voices may say I am rash, unwise, dictitorial, hard headed, or stupid...but I trusted God for that answer and I know He gave it to me. If the decision is not so urgent, I rest it with God and fill my mind with Colossians 3:5, "Let the PEACE of GOD RULE in your hearts...." The word, "rule" here, in the Greek, means to reign over, dictate, or 'umpire'. "Let the PEACE of GOD UMPIRE your heart's thoughts and decisions". I simply pray, "Lord, I rest this decision into your hands and I will not make the decision until YOU give me PEACE to do so or until the deadline runs out" as with urgent decisions above. The Holy Spirit, who lives in every True Christian (Rom8:9), does not give "The Peace of God" to believe a falsehood or erroneous decision. Satan will and often does give "false" peace, relief, good feelings, even absolute certainty a lie is the truth to a non Christian and even to an immature Christian who has not developed an active prayer life and Bible study. So, if that is your case, don't be fooled by Satan's tingle up your leg or peaceful feeling or happy thoughts or certainty. Whisky or weed can do that. Pray a lot and study God's Word daily or that sweet, tingly feeling may be the Devil's ugly finger not the Holy Spirit."Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim.2:15. Remember, your Heavenly Father is King of Kings and you are His Daughter or Son, Princess or Prince. He has Fathered you through the second birth by faith in Christ, and He has taught you His Will, His Word, and His Way. If you have grown in grace and are a mature child of God by now, He wants you to make most of your decisions based upon what He has taught you and which you already know that you know. The King is most proud of his children when they have faithfully sought him for wisdom and have listened and learned over the years and have grown in maturity and are capable of making good decisions for daily living without asking their father constantly what to eat or wear every day or for routine decisions. He promised you that His Holy Spirit would "guide you into all truth." John 16:13. As the Sons and Daughters of the King of Kings, you have the "Spirit of Christ in you" (Col.1:27) not way off yonder somewhere and you have the RIGHT and RESPONSIBILITY to decide most decisions based upon what you have already learned in prayer, Bible study, and experience. Honor God, as His grown up child, by living what you know is right, doing what you know is right, thinking what you know is right, and deciding what you know is right. If a clear decision is still not made plain, you have a RIGHT to go to your Heavenly Father, no matter if you are 80 years old like me...and climb up into His lap and ask His advice on big stuff...I do. Praise God, thank you Father and thank you Jesus and Holy Spirit. Rest in Him my dear Bible studying, praying, Jesus loving Brothers and Sisters. Pass It On. RB